Submitted by Lisa Allen

Custodians are the first line of defense of public health in our schools and Miss Virginia Wilson of Orange Beach Elementary School has been selected as one of five custodians in the nation for the 2011 National Education Association’s National C.L.E.A.N. Award.

The National C.L.E.A.N. Awards program recognizes the contributions that custodians make to public health in their schools, communities, and their profession. The award is presented to school custodians who demonstrate outstanding leadership in the field of school cleanliness, and who reflect the contributions that education support professionals (ESP) can make to public health.

Wilson was nominated by her colleagues at OBES and, as an award recipient, will receive an all expense paid trip to Washington, D.C., to the NEA National ESP Conference to receive her award, a $2,000 cash prize, and a one year NEA and National Council of Education Support Professionals (NCESP) membership.

The award program is a joint initiative of the National Education Association (NEA), the NEA Health Information Network (NEA HIN), and the American Cleaning Institute (ACI), formerly the Soap and Detergent Association.